JANE AUSTEN

LESLEYCASTLEAN UNFINISHED NOVEL IN LETTERS

TEXTUS CLASSICS 2017

Lesley Castle

Lesley Castlean unfinished novel in letters

Jane Austen

Textus Classics

2017

This work is in the Public Domain, free of copyrights.

Dedicated to the Internet.

Letter the First: from Miss Margaret Lesley to Miss Charlotte ․․8

Letter the Second: from Miss C. Lutterell to Miss M. Lesley in

answer ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ 11

Letter the Third: from Miss Margaret Lesley to Miss C.

Lutterell Lesley ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ 14

Letter the Fourth: from Miss C. Lutterell to Miss M. Lesley

Bristol ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ 17

Letter the Fifth: Miss Margaret Lesley to Miss Charlotte

Lutterell ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ 19

Letter the Sixth: Lady Lesley to Miss Charlotte Lutterell

Lesley-Castle ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ 21

Letter the Seventh: from Miss C. Lutterell to Miss M. Lesley ․․․․25

Letter the Eighth: Miss Lutterell to Mrs Marlowe ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ 29

Letter the Ninth: Mrs Marlowe to Miss Lutterell ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ 30

Letter the Tenth: from Miss Margaret Lesley to Miss Charlotte

Lutterell ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ 32

[vi]

To Henry Thomas Austen Esqre.

Sir

I am now availing myself of the Liberty you have frequently

honoured me with of dedicating one of my Novels to you. That

it is unfinished, I greive; yet fear that from me, it will always

remain so; that as far as it is carried, it should be so trifling and

so unworthy of you, is another concern to your obliged humble

Servant

The Author

Messrs Demand and Co – please to pay Jane Austen Spinster

the sum of one hundred guineas on account of your Humble

Servant.

H. T. Austen

L105. 0. 0.

LETTER THE FIRST: FROM MISS MARGARET

LESLEY TO MISS CHARLOTTE

Lutterell. Lesley Castle Janry 3rd – 1792.

My Brother has just left us. “Matilda (said he at parting)

you and Margaret will I am certain take all the care of my

dear little one, that she might have received from an indulgent,

and affectionate and amiable Mother.” Tears rolled down his

cheeks as he spoke these words – the remembrance of her,

who had so wantonly disgraced the Maternal character and so

openly violated the conjugal Duties, prevented his adding any-

8

thing farther; he embraced his sweet Child and after saluting

Matilda and Me hastily broke from us and seating himself in

his Chaise, pursued the road to Aberdeen. Never was there

a better young Man! Ah! how little did he deserve the mis-

fortunes he has experienced in the Marriage state. So good a

Husband to so bad a Wife! for you know my dear Charlotte

that the Worthless Louisa left him, her Child and reputation a

few weeks ago in company with Danvers and dishonour. Nev-

er was there a sweeter face, a finer form, or a less amiable

Heart than Louisa owned! Her child already possesses the per-

sonal Charms of her unhappy Mother! May she inherit from

her Father all his mental ones! Lesley is at present but five and

twenty, and has already given himself up to melancholy and

Despair; what a difference between him and his Father! Sir

George is 57 and still remains the Beau, the flighty stripling,

the gay Lad, and sprightly Youngster, that his Son was really

about five years back, and that he has affected to appear ever

since my remembrance. While our father is fluttering about the

streets of London, gay, dissipated, and Thoughtless at the age of

57, Matilda and I continue secluded from Mankind in our old

and Mouldering Castle, which is situated two miles from Perth

on a bold projecting Rock, and commands an extensive veiw

of the Town and its delightful Environs. But tho’ retired from

almost all the World, (for we visit no one but the M’Leods, The

M’Kenzies, the M’Phersons, the M’Cartneys, the M’Donalds,

The M’kinnons, the M’lellans, the M’kays, the Macbeths and

the Macduffs) we are neither dull nor unhappy; on the con-

trary there never were two more lively, more agreable or more

witty girls, than we are; not an hour in the Day hangs heavy on

our Hands. We read, we work, we walk, and when fatigued with

these Employments releive our spirits, either by a lively song,

a graceful Dance, or by some smart bon-mot, and witty repar-

tee. We are handsome my dear Charlotte, very handsome and

the greatest of our Perfections is, that we are entirely insensi-

ble of them ourselves. But why do I thus dwell on myself! Let

me rather repeat the praise of our dear little Neice the innocent

9

Louisa, who is at present sweetly smiling in a gentle Nap, as

she reposes on the sofa. The dear Creature is just turned of two

years old; as handsome as tho’ 2 and 20, as sensible as tho’ 2

and 30, and as prudent as tho’ 2 and 40. To convince you of

this, I must inform you that she has a very fine complexion and

very pretty features, that she already knows the two first letters

in the Alphabet, and that she never tears her frocks—. If I have

not now convinced you of her Beauty, Sense and Prudence, I

have nothing more to urge in support of my assertion, and you

will therefore have no way of deciding the Affair but by coming

to Lesley-Castle, and by a personal acquaintance with Louisa,

determine for yourself. Ah! my dear Freind, how happy should

I be to see you within these venerable Walls! It is now four years

since my removal from School has separated me from you;

that two such tender Hearts, so closely linked together by the

ties of simpathy and Freindship, should be so widely removed

from each other, is vastly moving. I live in Perthshire, You in

Sussex. We might meet in London, were my Father disposed to

carry me there, and were your Mother to be there at the same

time. We might meet at Bath, at Tunbridge, or anywhere else

indeed, could we but be at the same place together. We have

only to hope that such a period may arrive. My Father does not

return to us till Autumn; my Brother will leave Scotland in a

few Days; he is impatient to travel. Mistaken Youth! He vain-

ly flatters himself that change of Air will heal the Wounds of a

broken Heart! You will join with me I am certain my dear Char-

lotte, in prayers for the recovery of the unhappy Lesley’s peace

of Mind, which must ever be essential to that of your sincere

freind M. Lesley.

10

LETTER THE SECOND: FROM MISS C. LUTTERELL

TO MISS M. LESLEY IN ANSWER

Glenford Febry 12

I have a thousand excuses to beg for having so long delayed

thanking you my dear Peggy for your agreable Letter, which

beleive me I should not have deferred doing, had not every

moment of my time during the last five weeks been so fully

employed in the necessary arrangements for my sisters wed-

ding, as to allow me no time to devote either to you or myself.

And now what provokes me more than anything else is that the

Match is broke off, and all my Labour thrown away. Imagine

how great the Dissapointment must be to me, when you con-

sider that after having laboured both by Night and by Day, in

order to get the Wedding dinner ready by the time appointed,

after having roasted Beef, Broiled Mutton, and Stewed Soup

enough to last the new-married Couple through the Honey-

moon, I had the mortification of finding that I had been Roast-

ing, Broiling and Stewing both the Meat and Myself to no pur-

pose. Indeed my dear Freind, I never remember suffering any

vexation equal to what I experienced on last Monday when my

sister came running to me in the store-room with her face as

White as a Whipt syllabub, and told me that Hervey had been

thrown from his Horse, had fractured his Scull and was pro-

nounced by his surgeon to be in the most emminent Danger.

“Good God! (said I) you dont say so? Why what in the name

of Heaven will become of all the Victuals! We shall never be

able to eat it while it is good. However, we’ll call in the Sur-

geon to help us. I shall be able to manage the Sir-loin myself,

my Mother will eat the soup, and You and the Doctor must fin-

ish the rest.” Here I was interrupted, by seeing my poor Sis-

ter fall down to appearance Lifeless upon one of the Chests,

where we keep our Table linen. I immediately called my Moth-

er and the Maids, and at last we brought her to herself again;

11

as soon as ever she was sensible, she expressed a determina-

tion of going instantly to Henry, and was so wildly bent on this

Scheme, that we had the greatest Difficulty in the World to pre-

vent her putting it in execution; at last however more by Force

than Entreaty we prevailed on her to go into her room; we

laid her upon the Bed, and she continued for some Hours in

the most dreadful Convulsions. My Mother and I continued in

the room with her, and when any intervals of tolerable Compo-

sure in Eloisa would allow us, we joined in heartfelt lamenta-

tions on the dreadful Waste in our provisions which this Event

must occasion, and in concerting some plan for getting rid of

them. We agreed that the best thing we could do was to begin

eating them immediately, and accordingly we ordered up the

cold Ham and Fowls, and instantly began our Devouring Plan

on them with great Alacrity. We would have persuaded Eloisa

to have taken a Wing of a Chicken, but she would not be per-

suaded. She was however much quieter than she had been;

the convulsions she had before suffered having given way to an

almost perfect Insensibility. We endeavoured to rouse her by

every means in our power, but to no purpose. I talked to her of

Henry. “Dear Eloisa (said I) there’s no occasion for your cry-

ing so much about such a trifle. (for I was willing to make light

of it in order to comfort her) I beg you would not mind it –

You see it does not vex me in the least; though perhaps I may

suffer most from it after all; for I shall not only be obliged to

eat up all the Victuals I have dressed already, but must if Hen-

ry should recover (which however is not very likely) dress as

much for you again; or should he die (as I suppose he will) I

shall still have to prepare a Dinner for you whenever you mar-

ry any one else. So you see that tho’ perhaps for the present

it may afflict you to think of Henry’s sufferings, Yet I dare say

he’ll die soon, and then his pain will be over and you will be

easy, whereas my Trouble will last much longer for work as

hard as I may, I am certain that the pantry cannot be cleared

in less than a fortnight.” Thus I did all in my power to console

her, but without any effect, and at last as I saw that she did not

12

seem to listen to me, I said no more, but leaving her with my

Mother I took down the remains of The Ham and Chicken, and

sent William to ask how Henry did. He was not expected to live

many Hours; he died the same day. We took all possible care

to break the melancholy Event to Eloisa in the tenderest man-

ner; yet in spite of every precaution, her sufferings on hear-

ing it were too violent for her reason, and she continued for

many hours in a high Delirium. She is still extremely ill, and

her Physicians are greatly afraid of her going into a Decline.

We are therefore preparing for Bristol, where we mean to be in

the course of the next week. And now my dear Margaret let me

talk a little of your affairs; and in the first place I must inform

you that it is confidently reported, your Father is going to be

married; I am very unwilling to beleive so unpleasing a report,

and at the same time cannot wholly discredit it. I have writ-

ten to my freind Susan Fitzgerald, for information concerning

it, which as she is at present in Town, she will be very able to

give me. I know not who is the Lady. I think your Brother is

extremely right in the resolution he has taken of travelling, as

it will perhaps contribute to obliterate from his remembrance,

those disagreable Events, which have lately so much afflicted

him – I am happy to find that tho’ secluded from all the World,

neither you nor Matilda are dull or unhappy – that you may

never know what it is to, be either is the wish of your sincerely

affectionate C.L.

P. S. I have this instant received an answer from my freind

Susan, which I enclose to you, and on which you will make

your own reflections.

The enclosed letter

My dear Charlotte You could not have applied for informa-

tion concerning the report of Sir George Lesleys Marriage, to

any one better able to give it you than I am. Sir George is cer-

tainly married; I was myself present at the Ceremony, which

you will not be surprised at when I subscribe myself your Affec-

tionate Susan Lesley

13

LETTER THE THIRD: FROM MISS MARGARET

LESLEY TO MISS C. LUTTERELL LESLEY

Castle February the 16th

I have made my own reflections on the letter you enclosed

to me, my Dear Charlotte and I will now tell you what those

reflections were. I reflected that if by this second Marriage Sir

George should have a second family, our fortunes must be con-

siderably diminushed – that if his Wife should be of an extrav-

agant turn, she would encourage him to persevere in that gay

and Dissipated way of Life to which little encouragement would

be necessary, and which has I fear already proved but too detri-

mental to his health and fortune – that she would now become

Mistress of those Jewels which once adorned our Mother, and

which Sir George had always promised us – that if they did

not come into Perthshire I should not be able to gratify my

curiosity of beholding my Mother-in-law and that if they did,

Matilda would no longer sit at the head of her Father’s table—.

These my dear Charlotte were the melancholy reflections which

crowded into my imagination after perusing Susan’s letter to

you, and which instantly occurred to Matilda when she had

perused it likewise. The same ideas, the same fears, immedi-

ately occupied her Mind, and I know not which reflection dis-

tressed her most, whether the probable Diminution of our For-

tunes, or her own Consequence. We both wish very much to

know whether Lady Lesley is handsome and what is your opin-

ion of her; as you honour her with the appellation of your

freind, we flatter ourselves that she must be amiable. My Broth-

er is already in Paris. He intends to quit it in a few Days, and

to begin his route to Italy. He writes in a most chearfull man-

ner, says that the air of France has greatly recovered both his

Health and Spirits; that he has now entirely ceased to think of

Louisa with any degree either of Pity or Affection, that he even

feels himself obliged to her for her Elopement, as he thinks it

14

very good fun to be single again. By this, you may perceive that

he has entirely regained that chearful Gaiety, and sprightly Wit,

for which he was once so remarkable. When he first became

acquainted with Louisa which was little more than three years

ago, he was one of the most lively, the most agreable young

Men of the age—. I beleive you never yet heard the particu-

lars of his first acquaintance with her. It commenced at our

cousin Colonel Drummond’s; at whose house in Cumberland

he spent the Christmas, in which he attained the age of two

and twenty. Louisa Burton was the Daughter of a distant Rela-

tion of Mrs. Drummond, who dieing a few Months before in

extreme poverty, left his only Child then about eighteen to

the protection of any of his Relations who would protect her.

Mrs. Drummond was the only one who found herself so dis-

posed – Louisa was therefore removed from a miserable Cot-

tage in Yorkshire to an elegant Mansion in Cumberland, and

from every pecuniary Distress that Poverty could inflict, to

every elegant Enjoyment that Money could purchase—. Louisa

was naturally ill-tempered and Cunning; but she had been

taught to disguise her real Disposition, under the appearance

of insinuating Sweetness, by a father who but too well knew,

that to be married, would be the only chance she would have

of not being starved, and who flattered himself that with such

an extroidinary share of personal beauty, joined to a gentleness

of Manners, and an engaging address, she might stand a good

chance of pleasing some young Man who might afford to mar-

ry a girl without a Shilling. Louisa perfectly entered into her

father’s schemes and was determined to forward them with

all her care and attention. By dint of Perseverance and Appli-

cation, she had at length so thoroughly disguised her natur-

al disposition under the mask of Innocence, and Softness, as

to impose upon every one who had not by a long and con-

stant intimacy with her discovered her real Character. Such

was Louisa when the hapless Lesley first beheld her at Drum-

mond-house. His heart which (to use your favourite compar-

ison) was as delicate as sweet and as tender as a Whipt-syl-

15

labub, could not resist her attractions. In a very few Days, he

was falling in love, shortly after actually fell, and before he had

known her a Month, he had married her. My Father was at first

highly displeased at so hasty and imprudent a connection; but

when he found that they did not mind it, he soon became per-

fectly reconciled to the match. The Estate near Aberdeen which

my brother possesses by the bounty of his great Uncle indepen-

dant of Sir George, was entirely sufficient to support him and

my Sister in Elegance and Ease. For the first twelvemonth, no

one could be happier than Lesley, and no one more amiable

to appearance than Louisa, and so plausibly did she act and so

cautiously behave that tho’ Matilda and I often spent several

weeks together with them, yet we neither of us had any suspi-

cion of her real Disposition. After the birth of Louisa however,

which one would have thought would have strengthened her

regard for Lesley, the mask she had so long supported was by

degrees thrown aside, and as probably she then thought her-

self secure in the affection of her Husband (which did indeed

appear if possible augmented by the birth of his Child) she

seemed to take no pains to prevent that affection from ever

diminushing. Our visits therefore to Dunbeath, were now less

frequent and by far less agreable than they used to be. Our

absence was however never either mentioned or lamented by

Louisa who in the society of young Danvers with whom she

became acquainted at Aberdeen (he was at one of the Uni-

versities there,) felt infinitely happier than in that of Matilda

and your freind, tho’ there certainly never were pleasanter girls

than we are. You know the sad end of all Lesleys connubial

happiness; I will not repeat it—. Adeiu my dear Charlotte;

although I have not yet mentioned anything of the matter, I

hope you will do me the justice to beleive that I think and feel, a

great deal for your Sisters affliction. I do not doubt but that the

healthy air of the Bristol downs will intirely remove it, by eras-

ing from her Mind the remembrance of Henry. I am my dear

Charlotte yrs ever M. L.

16

LETTER THE FOURTH: FROM MISS C. LUTTERELL

TO MISS M. LESLEY BRISTOL

February 27th

My Dear Peggy I have but just received your letter, which

being directed to Sussex while I was at Bristol was obliged to be

forwarded to me here, and from some unaccountable Delay,

has but this instant reached me—. I return you many thanks

for the account it contains of Lesley’s acquaintance, Love and

Marriage with Louisa, which has not the less entertained me for

having often been repeated to me before.

I have the satisfaction of informing you that we have every

reason to imagine our pantry is by this time nearly cleared,

as we left Particular orders with the servants to eat as hard as

they possibly could, and to call in a couple of Chairwomen to

assist them. We brought a cold Pigeon pye, a cold turkey, a

cold tongue, and half a dozen Jellies with us, which we were

lucky enough with the help of our Landlady, her husband, and

their three children, to get rid of, in less than two days after

our arrival. Poor Eloisa is still so very indifferent both in Health

and Spirits, that I very much fear, the air of the Bristol downs,

healthy as it is, has not been able to drive poor Henry from her

remembrance.

You ask me whether your new Mother in law is handsome

and amiable – I will now give you an exact description of her

bodily and mental charms. She is short, and extremely well

made; is naturally pale, but rouges a good deal; has fine eyes,

and fine teeth, as she will take care to let you know as soon

as she sees you, and is altogether very pretty. She is remark-

ably good-tempered when she has her own way, and very lively

when she is not out of humour. She is naturally extravagant

and not very affected; she never reads anything but the let-

ters she receives from me, and never writes anything but her

answers to them. She plays, sings and Dances, but has no taste

17

for either, and excells in none, tho’ she says she is passionate-

ly fond of all. Perhaps you may flatter me so far as to be sur-

prised that one of whom I speak with so little affection should

be my particular freind; but to tell you the truth, our freindship

arose rather from Caprice on her side than Esteem on mine.

We spent two or three days together with a Lady in Berkshire

with whom we both happened to be connected—. During our

visit, the Weather being remarkably bad, and our party partic-

ularly stupid, she was so good as to conceive a violent partiality

for me, which very soon settled in a downright Freindship and

ended in an established correspondence. She is probably by

this time as tired of me, as I am of her; but as she is too Polite

and I am too civil to say so, our letters are still as frequent and

affectionate as ever, and our Attachment as firm and sincere as

when it first commenced. As she had a great taste for the plea-

sures of London, and of Brighthelmstone, she will I dare say

find some difficulty in prevailing on herself even to satisfy the

curiosity I dare say she feels of beholding you, at the expence

of quitting those favourite haunts of Dissipation, for the melan-

choly tho’ venerable gloom of the castle you inhabit. Perhaps

however if she finds her health impaired by too much amuse-

ment, she may acquire fortitude sufficient to undertake a Jour-

ney to Scotland in the hope of its Proving at least beneficial to

her health, if not conducive to her happiness. Your fears I am

sorry to say, concerning your father’s extravagance, your own

fortunes, your Mothers Jewels and your Sister’s consequence,

I should suppose are but too well founded. My freind herself

has four thousand pounds, and will probably spend nearly as

much every year in Dress and Public places, if she can get it

– she will certainly not endeavour to reclaim Sir George from

the manner of living to which he has been so long accustomed,

and there is therefore some reason to fear that you will be very

well off, if you get any fortune at all. The Jewels I should imag-

ine too will undoubtedly be hers, and there is too much reason

to think that she will preside at her Husbands table in prefer-

18

ence to his Daughter. But as so melancholy a subject must nec-

essarily extremely distress you, I will no longer dwell on it—.

Eloisa’s indisposition has brought us to Bristol at so unfash-

ionable a season of the year, that we have actually seen but one

genteel family since we came. Mr and Mrs Marlowe are very

agreable people; the ill health of their little boy occasioned

their arrival here; you may imagine that being the only fam-

ily with whom we can converse, we are of course on a foot-

ing of intimacy with them; we see them indeed almost every

day, and dined with them yesterday. We spent a very pleasant

Day, and had a very good Dinner, tho’ to be sure the Veal was

terribly underdone, and the Curry had no seasoning. I could

not help wishing all dinner-time that I had been at the dressing

it—. A brother of Mrs Marlowe, Mr Cleveland is with them at

present; he is a good-looking young Man, and seems to have a

good deal to say for himself. I tell Eloisa that she should set her

cap at him, but she does not at all seem to relish the proposal.

I should like to see the girl married and Cleveland has a very

good estate. Perhaps you may wonder that I do not consider

myself as well as my Sister in my matrimonial Projects; but to

tell you the truth I never wish to act a more principal part at

a Wedding than the superintending and directing the Dinner,

and therefore while I can get any of my acquaintance to marry

for me, I shall never think of doing it myself, as I very much

suspect that I should not have so much time for dressing my

own Wedding-dinner, as for dressing that of my freinds. Yours

sincerely C. L.

LETTER THE FIFTH: MISS MARGARET LESLEY TO

MISS CHARLOTTE LUTTERELL

Lesley-Castle March 18th

On the same day that I received your last kind letter, Matilda

19

received one from Sir George which was dated from Edin-

burgh, and informed us that he should do himself the pleasure

of introducing Lady Lesley to us on the following evening. This

as you may suppose considerably surprised us, particularly as

your account of her Ladyship had given us reason to imag-

ine there was little chance of her visiting Scotland at a time

that London must be so gay. As it was our business however to

be delighted at such a mark of condescension as a visit from

Sir George and Lady Lesley, we prepared to return them an

answer expressive of the happiness we enjoyed in expectation

of such a Blessing, when luckily recollecting that as they were

to reach the Castle the next Evening, it would be impossible

for my father to receive it before he left Edinburgh, we con-

tented ourselves with leaving them to suppose that we were as

happy as we ought to be. At nine in the Evening on the fol-

lowing day, they came, accompanied by one of Lady Lesleys

brothers. Her Ladyship perfectly answers the description you

sent me of her, except that I do not think her so pretty as you

seem to consider her. She has not a bad face, but there is some-

thing so extremely unmajestic in her little diminutive figure, as

to render her in comparison with the elegant height of Matil-

da and Myself, an insignificant Dwarf. Her curiosity to see us

(which must have been great to bring her more than four hun-

dred miles) being now perfectly gratified, she already begins

to mention their return to town, and has desired us to accom-

pany her. We cannot refuse her request since it is seconded by

the commands of our Father, and thirded by the entreaties of

Mr. Fitzgerald who is certainly one of the most pleasing young

Men, I ever beheld. It is not yet determined when we are to go,

but when ever we do we shall certainly take our little Louisa

with us. Adeiu my dear Charlotte; Matilda unites in best wishes

to you, and Eloisa, with yours ever M. L.

20

LETTER THE SIXTH: LADY LESLEY TO MISS

CHARLOTTE LUTTERELL LESLEY-CASTLE

March 20th

We arrived here my sweet Freind about a fortnight ago, and

I already heartily repent that I ever left our charming House in

Portman-square for such a dismal old weather-beaten Castle as

this. You can form no idea sufficiently hideous, of its dungeon-

like form. It is actually perched upon a Rock to appearance so

totally inaccessible, that I expected to have been pulled up by

a rope; and sincerely repented having gratified my curiosity to

behold my Daughters at the expence of being obliged to enter

their prison in so dangerous and ridiculous a manner. But as

soon as I once found myself safely arrived in the inside of this

tremendous building, I comforted myself with the hope of hav-

ing my spirits revived, by the sight of two beautifull girls, such

as the Miss Lesleys had been represented to me, at Edinburgh.

But here again, I met with nothing but Disappointment and

Surprise. Matilda and Margaret Lesley are two great, tall, out of

the way, over-grown, girls, just of a proper size to inhabit a Cas-

tle almost as large in comparison as themselves. I wish my dear

Charlotte that you could but behold these Scotch giants; I am

sure they would frighten you out of your wits. They will do very

well as foils to myself, so I have invited them to accompany

me to London where I hope to be in the course of a fortnight.

Besides these two fair Damsels, I found a little humoured Brat

here who I beleive is some relation to them, they told me who

she was, and gave me a long rigmerole story of her father and a

Miss Somebody which I have entirely forgot. I hate scandal and

detest Children. I have been plagued ever since I came here

with tiresome visits from a parcel of Scotch wretches, with ter-

rible hard-names; they were so civil, gave me so many invita-

tions, and talked of coming again so soon, that I could not help

affronting them. I suppose I shall not see them any more, and

21

yet as a family party we are so stupid, that I do not know what

to do with myself. These girls have no Music, but Scotch airs,

no Drawings but Scotch Mountains, and no Books but Scotch

Poems – and I hate everything Scotch. In general I can spend

half the Day at my toilett with a great deal of pleasure, but why

should I dress here, since there is not a creature in the House

whom I have any wish to please. I have just had a conversa-

tion with my Brother in which he has greatly offended me, and

which as I have nothing more entertaining to send you I will

gave you the particulars of. You must know that I have for these

4 or 5 Days past strongly suspected William of entertaining a

partiality to my eldest Daughter. I own indeed that had I been

inclined to fall in love with any woman, I should not have made

choice of Matilda Lesley for the object of my passion; for there

is nothing I hate so much as a tall Woman: but however there

is no accounting for some men’s taste and as William is himself

nearly six feet high, it is not wonderful that he should be par-

tial to that height. Now as I have a very great affection for my

Brother and should be extremely sorry to see him unhappy,

which I suppose he means to be if he cannot marry Matilda, as

moreover I know that his circumstances will not allow him to

marry any one without a fortune, and that Matilda’s is entirely

dependant on her Father, who will neither have his own incli-

nation nor my permission to give her anything at present, I

thought it would be doing a good-natured action by my Broth-

er to let him know as much, in order that he might choose for

himself, whether to conquer his passion, or Love and Despair.

Accordingly finding myself this Morning alone with him in one

of the horrid old rooms of this Castle, I opened the cause to

him in the following Manner.

“Well my dear William what do you think of these girls? for

my part, I do not find them so plain as I expected: but perhaps

you may think me partial to the Daughters of my Husband and

perhaps you are right – They are indeed so very like Sir George

that it is natural to think”—

“My Dear Susan (cried he in a tone of the greatest amaze-

22

ment) You do not really think they bear the least resemblance

to their Father! He is so very plain!—but I beg your pardon – I

had entirely forgotten to whom I was speaking—”

“Oh! pray dont mind me; (replied I) every one knows Sir

George is horribly ugly, and I assure you I always thought him

a fright.”

“You surprise me extremely (answered William) by what

you say both with respect to Sir George and his Daughters. You

cannot think your Husband so deficient in personal Charms as

you speak of, nor can you surely see any resemblance between

him and the Miss Lesleys who are in my opinion perfectly

unlike him and perfectly Handsome.”

“If that is your opinion with regard to the girls it certainly is

no proof of their Fathers beauty, for if they are perfectly unlike

him and very handsome at the same time, it is natural to sup-

pose that he is very plain.”

“By no means, (said he) for what may be pretty in a

Woman, may be very unpleasing in a Man.”

“But you yourself (replied I) but a few minutes ago allowed

him to be very plain.”

“Men are no Judges of Beauty in their own Sex.” (said he).

“Neither Men nor Women can think Sir George tolerable.”

“Well, well, (said he) we will not dispute about his Beauty,

but your opinion of his daughters is surely very singular, for if I

understood you right, you said you did not find them so plain

as you expected to do!”

“Why, do you find them plainer then?” (said I).

“I can scarcely beleive you to be serious (returned he)

when you speak of their persons in so extroidinary a Manner.

Do not you think the Miss Lesleys are two very handsome

young Women?”

“Lord! No! (cried I) I think them terribly plain!”

“Plain! (replied He) My dear Susan, you cannot really think

so! Why what single Feature in the face of either of them, can

you possibly find fault with?”

“Oh! trust me for that; (replied I). Come I will begin with

23

the eldest – with Matilda. Shall I, William?” (I looked as cun-

ning as I could when I said it, in order to shame him).

“They are so much alike (said he) that I should suppose the

faults of one, would be the faults of both.”

“Well, then, in the first place; they are both so horribly

tall!”

“They are taller than you are indeed.” (said he with a saucy

smile.)

“Nay, (said I), I know nothing of that.”

“Well, but (he continued) tho’ they may be above the com-

mon size, their figures are perfectly elegant; and as to their

faces, their Eyes are beautifull.”

“I never can think such tremendous, knock-me-down fig-

ures in the least degree elegant, and as for their eyes, they are

so tall that I never could strain my neck enough to look at

them.”

“Nay, (replied he) I know not whether you may not be in

the right in not attempting it, for perhaps they might dazzle

you with their Lustre.”

“Oh! Certainly. (said I, with the greatest complacency, for

I assure you my dearest Charlotte I was not in the least offend-

ed tho’ by what followed, one would suppose that William was

conscious of having given me just cause to be so, for coming

up to me and taking my hand, he said) “You must not look so

grave Susan; you will make me fear I have offended you!”

“Offended me! Dear Brother, how came such a thought in

your head! (returned I) No really! I assure you that I am not in

the least surprised at your being so warm an advocate for the

Beauty of these girls.”—

“Well, but (interrupted William) remember that we have

not yet concluded our dispute concerning them. What fault do

you find with their complexion?”

“They are so horridly pale.”

“They have always a little colour, and after any exercise it is

considerably heightened.”

“Yes, but if there should ever happen to be any rain in this

24

part of the world, they will never be able raise more than their

common stock – except indeed they amuse themselves with

running up and Down these horrid old galleries and Anticham-

bers.”

“Well, (replied my Brother in a tone of vexation, and glanc-

ing an impertinent look at me) if they have but little colour, at

least, it is all their own.”

This was too much my dear Charlotte, for I am certain that

he had the impudence by that look, of pretending to suspect

the reality of mine. But you I am sure will vindicate my char-

acter whenever you may hear it so cruelly aspersed, for you

can witness how often I have protested against wearing Rouge,

and how much I always told you I disliked it. And I assure you

that my opinions are still the same.—. Well, not bearing to be

so suspected by my Brother, I left the room immediately, and

have been ever since in my own Dressing-room writing to you.

What a long letter have I made of it! But you must not expect

to receive such from me when I get to Town; for it is only at

Lesley castle, that one has time to write even to a Charlotte Lut-

terell.—. I was so much vexed by William’s glance, that I could

not summon Patience enough, to stay and give him that advice

respecting his attachment to Matilda which had first induced

me from pure Love to him to begin the conversation; and I am

now so thoroughly convinced by it, of his violent passion for

her, that I am certain he would never hear reason on the sub-

ject, and I shall there fore give myself no more trouble either

about him or his favourite. Adeiu my dear girl – Yrs affection-

ately Susan L.

LETTER THE SEVENTH: FROM MISS C.

LUTTERELL TO MISS M. LESLEY

Bristol the 27th of March

25

I have received Letters from you and your Mother-in-law

within this week which have greatly entertained me, as I find by

them that you are both downright jealous of each others Beau-

ty. It is very odd that two pretty Women tho’ actually Mother

and Daughter cannot be in the same House without falling out

about their faces. Do be convinced that you are both perfectly

handsome and say no more of the Matter. I suppose this letter

must be directed to Portman Square where probably (great as

is your affection for Lesley Castle) you will not be sorry to find

yourself. In spite of all that people may say about Green fields

and the Country I was always of opinion that London and its

amusements must be very agreable for a while, and should be

very happy could my Mother’s income allow her to jockey us

into its Public-places, during Winter. I always longed particular-

ly to go to Vaux-hall, to see whether the cold Beef there is cut so

thin as it is reported, for I have a sly suspicion that few people

understand the art of cutting a slice of cold Beef so well as I do:

nay it would be hard if I did not know something of the Matter,

for it was a part of my Education that I took by far the most

pains with. Mama always found me her best scholar, tho’ when

Papa was alive Eloisa was his. Never to be sure were there two

more different Dispositions in the World. We both loved Read-

ing. She preferred Histories, and I Receipts. She loved draw-

ing, Pictures, and I drawing Pullets. No one could sing a better

song than she, and no one make a better Pye than I.—And so

it has always continued since we have been no longer children.

The only difference is that all disputes on the superior excel-

lence of our Employments then so frequent are now no more.

We have for many years entered into an agreement always to

admire each other’s works; I never fail listening to her Music,

and she is as constant in eating my pies. Such at least was the

case till Henry Hervey made his appearance in Sussex. Before

the arrival of his Aunt in our neighbourhood where she estab-

lished herself you know about a twelvemonth ago, his visits to

her had been at stated times, and of equal and settled Dura-

tion; but on her removal to the Hall which is within a walk from

26

our House, they became both more frequent and longer. This

as you may suppose could not be pleasing to Mrs Diana who

is a professed enemy to everything which is not directed by

Decorum and Formality, or which bears the least resemblance

to Ease and Good-breeding. Nay so great was her aversion to

her Nephews behaviour that I have often heard her give such

hints of it before his face that had not Henry at such times been

engaged in conversation with Eloisa, they must have caught his

Attention and have very much distressed him. The alteration in

my Sisters behaviour which I have before hinted at, now took

place. The Agreement we had entered into of admiring each

others productions she no longer seemed to regard, and tho’

I constantly applauded even every Country-dance, she played,

yet not even a pidgeon-pye of my making could obtain from

her a single word of approbation. This was certainly enough to

put any one in a Passion; however, I was as cool as a cream-

cheese and having formed my plan and concerted a scheme of

Revenge, I was determined to let her have her own way and not

even to make her a single reproach. My scheme was to treat

her as she treated me, and tho’ she might even draw my own

Picture or play Malbrook (which is the only tune I ever really

liked) not to say so much as “Thank you Eloisa;” tho’ I had for

many years constantly hollowed whenever she played, bravo,

bravissimo, encore, da capo, allegretto, con expressione, and poco

presto with many other such outlandish words, all of them as

Eloisa told me expressive of my Admiration; and so indeed I

suppose they are, as I see some of them in every Page of every

Music book, being the sentiments I imagine of the composer.

I executed my Plan with great Punctuality. I can not say suc-

cess, for alas! my silence while she played seemed not in the

least to displease her; on the contrary she actually said to me

one day “Well Charlotte, I am very glad to find that you have at

last left off that ridiculous custom of applauding my Execution

on the Harpsichord till you made my head ake, and yourself

hoarse. I feel very much obliged to you for keeping your admi-

ration to yourself.” I never shall forget the very witty answer

27

I made to this speech. “Eloisa (said I) I beg you would be

quite at your Ease with respect to all such fears in future, for be

assured that I shall always keep my admiration to myself and

my own pursuits and never extend it to yours.” This was the

only very severe thing I ever said in my Life; not but that I have

often felt myself extremely satirical but it was the only time I

ever made my feelings public.

I suppose there never were two Young people who had a

greater affection for each other than Henry and Eloisa; no, the

Love of your Brother for Miss Burton could not be so strong

tho’ it might be more violent. You may imagine therefore how

provoked my Sister must have been to have him play her such

a trick. Poor girl! she still laments his Death with undiminished

constancy, notwithstanding he has been dead more than six

weeks; but some People mind such things more than others.

The ill state of Health into which his loss has thrown her makes

her so weak, and so unable to support the least exertion, that

she has been in tears all this Morning merely from having tak-

en leave of Mrs. Marlowe who with her Husband, Brother and

Child are to leave Bristol this morning. I am sorry to have them

go because they are the only family with whom we have here

any acquaintance, but I never thought of crying; to be sure

Eloisa and Mrs Marlowe have always been more together than

with me, and have therefore contracted a kind of affection for

each other, which does not make Tears so inexcusable in them

as they would be in me. The Marlowes are going to Town; Clive-

land accompanies them; as neither Eloisa nor I could catch

him I hope you or Matilda may have better Luck. I know not

when we shall leave Bristol, Eloisa’s spirits are so low that she is

very averse to moving, and yet is certainly by no means mend-

ed by her residence here. A week or two will I hope determine

our Measures – in the mean time believe me and etc – and etc

– Charlotte Lutterell.

28

LETTER THE EIGHTH: MISS LUTTERELL TO MRS

MARLOWE

Bristol April 4th

I feel myself greatly obliged to you my dear Emma for such

a mark of your affection as I flatter myself was conveyed in

the proposal you made me of our Corresponding; I assure

you that it will be a great releif to me to write to you and

as long as my Health and Spirits will allow me, you will find

me a very constant correspondent; I will not say an entertain-

ing one, for you know my situation suffciently not to be igno-

rant that in me Mirth would be improper and I know my own

Heart too well not to be sensible that it would be unnatural.

You must not expect news for we see no one with whom we are

in the least acquainted, or in whose proceedings we have any

Interest. You must not expect scandal for by the same rule we

are equally debarred either from hearing or inventing it.—You

must expect from me nothing but the melancholy effusions

of a broken Heart which is ever reverting to the Happiness it

once enjoyed and which ill supports its present wretchedness.

The Possibility of being able to write, to speak, to you of my

lost Henry will be a luxury to me, and your goodness will not

I know refuse to read what it will so much releive my Heart

to write. I once thought that to have what is in general called

a Freind (I mean one of my own sex to whom I might speak

with less reserve than to any other person) independant of my

sister would never be an object of my wishes, but how much

was I mistaken! Charlotte is too much engrossed by two confi-

dential correspondents of that sort, to supply the place of one

to me, and I hope you will not think me girlishly romantic,

when I say that to have some kind and compassionate Freind

who might listen to my sorrows without endeavouring to con-

sole me was what I had for some time wished for, when our

acquaintance with you, the intimacy which followed it and the

29

particular affectionate attention you paid me almost from the

first, caused me to entertain the flattering Idea of those atten-

tions being improved on a closer acquaintance into a Freind-

ship which, if you were what my wishes formed you would be

the greatest Happiness I could be capable of enjoying. To find

that such Hopes are realised is a satisfaction indeed, a satis-

faction which is now almost the only one I can ever experi-

ence.—I feel myself so languid that I am sure were you with

me you would oblige me to leave off writing, and I cannot give

you a greater proof of my affection for you than by acting, as

I know you would wish me to do, whether Absent or Present. I

am my dear Emmas sincere freind E. L.

LETTER THE NINTH: MRS MARLOWE TO MISS

LUTTERELL

Grosvenor Street, April 10th

Need I say my dear Eloisa how wellcome your letter was to

me I cannot give a greater proof of the pleasure I received from

it, or of the Desire I feel that our Correspondence may be reg-

ular and frequent than by setting you so good an example as

I now do in answering it before the end of the week—. But do

not imagine that I claim any merit in being so punctual; on the

contrary I assure you, that it is a far greater Gratification to me

to write to you, than to spend the Evening either at a Concert

or a Ball. Mr Marlowe is so desirous of my appearing at some

of the Public places every evening that I do not like to refuse

him, but at the same time so much wish to remain at Home,

that independant of the Pleasure I experience in devoting any

portion of my Time to my Dear Eloisa, yet the Liberty I claim

from having a letter to write of spending an Evening at home

with my little Boy, you know me well enough to be sensible,

will of itself be a sufficient Inducement (if one is necessary) to

30

my maintaining with Pleasure a Correspondence with you. As

to the subject of your letters to me, whether grave or merry, if

they concern you they must be equally interesting to me; not

but that I think the melancholy Indulgence of your own sor-

rows by repeating them and dwelling on them to me, will only

encourage and increase them, and that it will be more prudent

in you to avoid so sad a subject; but yet knowing as I do what a

soothing and melancholy Pleasure it must afford you, I cannot

prevail on myself to deny you so great an Indulgence, and will

only insist on your not expecting me to encourage you in it, by

my own letters; on the contrary I intend to fill them with such

lively Wit and enlivening Humour as shall even provoke a smile

in the sweet but sorrowfull countenance of my Eloisa.

In the first place you are to learn that I have met your sisters

three freinds Lady Lesley and her Daughters, twice in Public

since I have been here. I know you will be impatient to hear

my opinion of the Beauty of three Ladies of whom you have

heard so much. Now, as you are too ill and too unhappy to be

vain, I think I may venture to inform you that I like none of

their faces so well as I do your own. Yet they are all handsome –

Lady Lesley indeed I have seen before; her Daughters I beleive

would in general be said to have a finer face than her Ladyship,

and yet what with the charms of a Blooming complexion, a lit-

tle Affectation and a great deal of small-talk, (in each of which

she is superior to the young Ladies) she will I dare say gain

herself as many admirers as the more regular features of Matil-

da, and Margaret. I am sure you will agree with me in saying

that they can none of them be of a proper size for real Beauty,

when you know that two of them are taller and the other short-

er than ourselves. In spite of this Defect (or rather by reason of

it) there is something very noble and majestic in the figures of

the Miss Lesleys, and something agreably lively in the appear-

ance of their pretty little Mother-in-law. But tho’ one may be

majestic and the other lively, yet the faces of neither possess

that Bewitching sweetness of my Eloisas, which her present lan-

guor is so far from diminushing. What would my Husband and

31

Brother say of us, if they knew all the fine things I have been

saying to you in this letter. It is very hard that a pretty woman

is never to be told she is so by any one of her own sex without

that person’s being suspected to be either her determined Ene-

my, or her professed Toad-eater. How much more amiable are

women in that particular! One man may say forty civil things to

another without our supposing that he is ever paid for it, and

provided he does his Duty by our sex, we care not how Polite

he is to his own.

Mrs Lutterell will be so good as to accept my compliments,

Charlotte, my Love, and Eloisa the best wishes for the recovery

of her Health and Spirits that can be offered by her affectionate

Freind E. Marlowe.

I am afraid this letter will be but a poor specimen of my

Powers in the witty way; and your opinion of them will not be

greatly increased when I assure you that I have been as enter-

taining as I possibly could.

LETTER THE TENTH: FROM MISS MARGARET

LESLEY TO MISS CHARLOTTE LUTTERELL

Portman Square April 13th

My dear Charlotte We left Lesley-Castle on the 28th of last

Month, and arrived safely in London after a Journey of seven

Days; I had the pleasure of finding your Letter here waiting

my Arrival, for which you have my grateful Thanks. Ah! my

dear Freind I every day more regret the serene and tranquil

Pleasures of the Castle we have left, in exchange for the uncer-

tain and unequal Amusements of this vaunted City. Not that I

will pretend to assert that these uncertain and unequal Amuse-

ments are in the least Degree unpleasing to me; on the con-

trary I enjoy them extremely and should enjoy them even

more, were I not certain that every appearance I make in Pub-

32

lic but rivetts the Chains of those unhappy Beings whose Pas-

sion it is impossible not to pity, tho’ it is out of my power to

return. In short my Dear Charlotte it is my sensibility for the

sufferings of so many amiable young Men, my Dislike of the

extreme admiration I meet with, and my aversion to being

so celebrated both in Public, in Private, in Papers, and in

Printshops, that are the reasons why I cannot more fully enjoy,

the Amusements so various and pleasing of London. How often

have I wished that I possessed as little Personal Beauty as you

do; that my figure were as inelegant; my face as unlovely;

and my appearance as unpleasing as yours! But ah! what little

chance is there of so desirable an Event; I have had the small-

pox, and must therefore submit to my unhappy fate.

I am now going to intrust you my dear Charlotte with a

secret which has long disturbed the tranquility of my days, and

which is of a kind to require the most inviolable Secrecy from

you. Last Monday se’night Matilda and I accompanied Lady

Lesley to a Rout at the Honourable Mrs Kickabout’s; we were

escorted by Mr Fitzgerald who is a very amiable young Man

in the main, tho’ perhaps a little singular in his Taste – He is

in love with Matilda—. We had scarcely paid our Compliments

to the Lady of the House and curtseyed to half a score differ-

ent people when my Attention was attracted by the appear-

ance of a Young Man the most lovely of his Sex, who at that

moment entered the Room with another Gentleman and Lady.

From the first moment I beheld him, I was certain that on him

depended the future Happiness of my Life. Imagine my sur-

prise when he was introduced to me by the name of Cleveland

– I instantly recognised him as the Brother of Mrs Marlowe,

and the acquaintance of my Charlotte at Bristol. Mr and Mrs

M. were the gentleman and Lady who accompanied him. (You

do not think Mrs Marlowe handsome?) The elegant address

of Mr Cleveland, his polished Manners and Delightful Bow, at

once confirmed my attachment. He did not speak; but I can

imagine everything he would have said, had he opened his

Mouth. I can picture to myself the cultivated Understanding,

33

the Noble sentiments, and elegant Language which would have

shone so conspicuous in the conversation of Mr Cleveland. The

approach of Sir James Gower (one of my too numerous admir-

ers) prevented the Discovery of any such Powers, by putting

an end to a Conversation we had never commenced, and by

attracting my attention to himself. But oh! how inferior are the

accomplishments of Sir James to those of his so greatly envied

Rival! Sir James is one of the most frequent of our Visitors, and

is almost always of our Parties. We have since often met Mr and

Mrs Marlowe but no Cleveland – he is always engaged some

where else. Mrs Marlowe fatigues me to Death every time I see

her by her tiresome Conversations about you and Eloisa. She is

so stupid! I live in the hope of seeing her irrisistable Brother to

night, as we are going to Lady Flambeaus, who is I know inti-

mate with the Marlowes. Our party will be Lady Lesley, Matil-

da, Fitzgerald, Sir James Gower, and myself. We see little of Sir

George, who is almost always at the gaming-table. Ah! my poor

Fortune where art thou by this time? We see more of Lady L.

who always makes her appearance (highly rouged) at Dinner-

time. Alas! what Delightful Jewels will she be decked in this

evening at Lady Flambeau’s! Yet I wonder how she can her-

self delight in wearing them; surely she must be sensible of the

ridiculous impropriety of loading her little diminutive figure

with such superfluous ornaments; is it possible that she can not

know how greatly superior an elegant simplicity is to the most

studied apparel? Would she but Present them to Matilda and

me, how greatly should we be obliged to her, How becoming

would Diamonds be on our fine majestic figures! And how sur-

prising it is that such an Idea should never have occurred to

her. I am sure if I have reflected in this manner once, I have

fifty times. Whenever I see Lady Lesley dressed in them such

reflections immediately come across me. My own Mother’s

Jewels too! But I will say no more on so melancholy a subject

– let me entertain you with something more pleasing – Matil-

da had a letter this morning from Lesley, by which we have

the pleasure of finding that he is at Naples has turned Roman-

34

Catholic, obtained one of the Pope’s Bulls for annulling his

1st Marriage and has since actually married a Neapolitan Lady

of great Rank and Fortune. He tells us moreover that much

the same sort of affair has befallen his first wife the worthless

Louisa who is likewise at Naples had turned Roman-catholic,

and is soon to be married to a Neapolitan Nobleman of great

and Distinguished merit. He says, that they are at present very

good Freinds, have quite forgiven all past errors and intend

in future to be very good Neighbours. He invites Matilda and

me to pay him a visit to Italy and to bring him his little Louisa

whom both her Mother, Step-mother, and himself are equally

desirous of beholding. As to our accepting his invitation, it is

at Present very uncertain; Lady Lesley advises us to go without

loss of time; Fitzgerald offers to escort us there, but Matilda

has some doubts of the Propriety of such a scheme – she owns

it would be very agreable. I am certain she likes the Fellow. My

Father desires us not to be in a hurry, as perhaps if we wait

a few months both he and Lady Lesley will do themselves the

pleasure of attending us. Lady Lesley says no, that nothing will

ever tempt her to forego the Amusements of Brighthelmstone

for a Journey to Italy merely to see our Brother. “No (says the

disagreable Woman) I have once in my life been fool enough to

travel I dont know how many hundred Miles to see two of the

Family, and I found it did not answer, so Deuce take me, if ever

I am so foolish again.” So says her Ladyship, but Sir George

still Perseveres in saying that perhaps in a month or two, they

may accompany us. Adeiu my Dear Charlotte Yrs faithful Mar-

garet Lesley.

35

4G3eHH · 2017-07-23

Textus Classics Bicentenary Edition

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